Windsor Railway Bridge
The last surviving wrought iron bridge designed by Brunel.
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Windsor Station, Thames Street, Windsor, SL4 1PJ.
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Windsor Railway Bridge is a wrought iron 'bow and string' bridge in Windsor, Berkshire, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It carries the ex-GWR branch line from Slough to Windsor into Windsor and Eton Central station. It crosses the River Thames on the reach between Romney Lock and Boveney Lock.
The line opened in 1849. The construction of the line was delayed and could not be included in the original Parliamentary Act because of objections from the Provost of Eton College. The brick viaduct leading to the bridge across marshy ground was constructed between 1861-65 to replace the original wooden trestle viaduct. The bridge contractor was Mr George Hannet.
Although the bridge was built to take two tracks, the track on the upstream side was removed when the line was rationalised in the 1960's. The trackbed on this side now carries a sewage or water main pipe.
The bridge is a single-span structure comprising three bowstring trusses which created two bays for the original two GWR tracks. The bridge is the World's oldest wrought iron bridge still in regular service, and is a forerunner of Brunel's final masterpiece, the Royal Albert Bridge, Saltash. The bridge was Grade II* listed in 1975.
By road: The closest view is from Meadow Lane off the B3022 in Eton. It is also visible from A332 the road which leads from the M4 to Windsor.
By foot: On Thames Path National Trail
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The Thames Path National Trail - Windsor to Bourne End